Quapaw Bath & Spa in Hot Springs, Ark.

Hot Springs, Ark. — On a recent visit to Quapaw Bath & Spa in Hot Springs, Ark., I found myself hopping from pool to pool like a duck in search of a home. Too hot. Too cold. Ahhh...just right. Quapaw has four large soaking pools filled with Hot Springs's acclaimed thermal mineral water, and temperatures range from 94 to 104 degrees. The tepid pool didn't have the soothing effect I was looking for, while the hottest one seemed on the verge of a rolling boil, rousing a sense of tremendous empathy for the plight of a chicken in a soup pot.

I soaked in the "just right" pool enjoying the sunlight coming in through the stained glass skylights until I was quite prune-like, and only dragged myself out because I had to get to the spa for my Swedish massage ¿ which was heavenly.

Quapaw is one of eight bathhouses that line Central Avenue, home to historic Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs National Park. Of the eight, only Quapaw and Buckstaff are currently operating as bathhouses. The Ozark is home to the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Fordyce is the Hot Springs National Park Visitor Center and museum. The other four are being restored.

These elegant bathhouses were built in a variety of classical revival styles during the city's heyday as a spa destination in the early 20th century. Tourists regularly stroll along the tree-lined street admiring the architecture and reading informative signs posted in front of each bathhouse.

The stuccoed Quapaw was built in the Spanish Colonial Revival style in 1922, and its colorful, tile-covered dome rises majestically against the Bathhouse Row skyline. In a nod to the legend that American Indians discovered a cave where magical, healing waters flowed, a carved Indian head hangs above the entrance. The healing powers of the water may be doubtful, but a cave actually is the source of the water at Quapaw, and guests are welcome to visit the basement and see it for themselves. The Quapaw was shuttered for many years, but reopened in 2008 as a recreational spa as opposed to a medicinal one.

The modern spa experience is usually about beauty and pampering, but in the early 1900s, the focus was on wellness. Many of the treatments offered at the bathhouses were prescribed by doctors. Travelers of all social classes flocked to this resort town nestled in the Ouachita Mountains to "take the waters," hoping to cure everything from polio to rheumatism. In its heyday, there were approximately 20 bathhouses in Hot Springs, but with the advent of modern medicine, the bathhouse culture declined.

The Fordyce Bathhouse, built in the Spanish Renaissance Revival style, operated 1915-1962, and attracted well-to-do visitors who spared no expense when it came to their health and comfort. On my self-guided tour of the museum, I was awed by the luxurious bathing areas paneled with white Italian marble. The men's bath hall features a breathtaking stained glass ceiling and a large, central fountain that depicts Hernando de Soto accepting a vessel filled with spring water from an Indian maiden. According to legend, de Soto drank from the springs in 1541.

The Fordyce gymnasium, the largest in Arkansas in 1915, was a draw for famous athletes like prizefighter Jack Dempsey and baseball legend, Babe Ruth. At the time, Hot Springs was the spring training ground for the Boston Red Sox and other major league baseball teams.

In spite of the palatial surroundings and numerous amenities, the phrase "the cure is worse than the disease" came to mind when I learned of some of the bizarre treatments and devices used at the Fordyce. It's hard to believe anyone ever thought an electric bath was a good idea, but a low amperage current added to the water was believed to be effective in treating a number of ailments. Lounging in a claustrophobia-inducing vapor cabinet that leaves only the head exposed and reaches temperatures of 140 degrees, would be only slightly more appealing to me than a mercury rub, once a common treatment for syphilis.

I feel fortunate to live in an era of modern medicine where a trip to the doctor may include scary-looking instruments, but at least there is a high probability they will actually cure an injury or illness. As someone who relishes a day a the spa, I'm thankful 21st century facilities are a tranquil oasis of aromatherapy and facials, and it's highly unlikely an attendant will suggest a treatment while approaching me with something resembling a medieval torture device.